The ruling was released Friday morning by U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel in Charleston, who held a two-day hearing behind closed doors earlier this week. The hearing was needed after Roof’s attorneys questioned earlier this month whether he could help them on the eve of jury selection in his death penalty trial.

Jury selection begins Monday, Nov. 28.

Gergel sealed his reasons for finding Roof competent, saying that information could keep him from having a fair trial.

The 22-year-old white man is charged in federal court with hate crime, obstruction of religion and other counts for the deadly June 2015 attack at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston.

He also faces the death penalty if found guilty of murder in state court. The state trial will begin early next year.